For information concerning this report or the information contained herein, you may contact California Court Reporters Association, Attn. President Brooke Ryan, by e-mail at brooke.ryan@cal-ccra.org or Carolyn Dasher, Chair of the Legislative Committee at carolyn.dasher@cal-ccra.org or write to them at 65 Enterprise, Aliso Viejo, California 92656, (949) 715-4682.

For the past 108 years, CCRA has been the leading association who continues to sponsor legislation to provide protection for our profession, to support our profession, and to enhance our profession.

CCRA Sponsored or Co-sponsored bills:

AB 1660 (Kalra) Court Reporter Providers (sponsors: CRB, CCRA, DRA)Existing law requires, upon court order or, in certain cases, upon request of a party to the action, an official court reporter or reporter pro tempore to take down in shorthand all testimony, objections made, rulings of the court, exceptions taken, arraignments, pleas, sentences, arguments of the attorneys to the jury, and statements and remarks made and oral instructions given by the judge or other judicial officer. Existing law requires shorthand reporters to be licensed and regulated by the Court Reporters Board of California, which is within the Department of Consumer Affairs. Existing law prohibits a person from being appointed to the position of official reporter of any court unless the person has first obtained a license to practice as a certified shorthand reporter from the Court Reporters Board of California. Existing law requires licensees to pay a fee that is deposited into the Court Reporters’ Fund, which is continuously appropriated. Existing law makes a violation of these provisions a misdemeanor.Update 10/15/17. The following history action was applied: "Vetoed by Governor."

AB 1450, (Obernolte) Court reporters: electronic transcripts. (E-filing)Existing law requires an official reporter or official reporter pro tempore of the superior court to take down in shorthand specified information regarding the testimony and proceedings before the court in civil cases, felony cases, and misdemeanor or infraction cases on order of the court, and in only civil cases or felony cases, at the request of a party or counsel. Existing law authorizes a court, party, or other person entitled to a transcript to request that it be delivered in computer-readable form, except as specified. Update 09/21/17. The following history action was applied:"Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3:30 p.m."

AB 701, (Gallagher) Access to judicial and nonjudicial proceedings: hearing impaired.Existing law requires that a participant in any civil or criminal proceeding, court-ordered or court-provided alternative dispute resolution, or administrative hearing of a public agency, who is hearing impaired be provided with a functioning assistive listening system or a computer-aided transcription system, upon his or her request. Existing law requires, if a computer-aided transcription system is requested, sufficient display terminals be provided to allow the hearing impaired individual to read the real-time transcript of the proceeding without difficulty. Existing law requires the Court Reporters Board of California to license and regulate the practice of shorthand reporting, defined to generally mean, among other things, the making of a verbatim record of any oral court proceeding.

Other Court Reporting Bills For Consideration by the Legislature:

AB 1285, (Gibson) Alcoholic Beverage Control Act: administrative hearings: records.Existing law, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, requires a record of any administrative hearing of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, and if an appeal is made to the Alcoholic Beverage Appeals Board, requires the board to determine the appeal upon the record of the department and upon any briefs authorized to be filed by the parties.Update 08/25/17: Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.

SB 484, (Roth) Deposition reporting services: unlawful business practices.Existing law authorizes any party to obtain discovery in civil actions by taking the oral deposition of any person, including any party to the action. Existing law requires that a deposition be conducted under the supervision of an officer who is authorized to administer an oath and subjects the deposition officer or entity providing the services of the deposition officer to certain restrictions.

Glossary of common terms for legislation:

Consent Calendar: A group of noncontroversial bills passed by a committee to another committee or the full Assembly or Senate. Bills may be placed upon the Consent Calendar if they are reported to the floor with that recommendation and, (1), have received no "no" votes in committee; (2), had no oppostion expressed by any person present at the hearing; (3), are not a tax levy; and, (4), have not had a 30-day in print rule waived.

Sponsor: The legislator, private individual, or group who developed a piece of legislation and advocates its passage.

Suspense File: The Appropriations "Suspense" file is where bills with major fiscal impacts are placed and considered right before the deadline for bills to be moved onto the floor of their respective chamber. However, the way a bill ends up on suspense is very different depending on if they are in the Assembly or Senate.

For other terms you may not be familiar with, click here for a glossary of terms.